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Flag of Reno

Reno is a city in northwestern Nevada and the county seat of Washoe County. After gold was discovered near Virginia City in 1850, a modest mining community developed around Reno, and thousands more prospectors arrived after the Comstock Lode mining rush of 1859. In 1861, Reno was founded as Lake's Crossing, featuring a log toll bridge across the Truckee River, a grist mill, kiln, livery stable, hotel, and eating house. In 1864, Reno was founded as a railroad town and was named for Major General Jesse L. Reno, who had been killed at the Battle of South Mountain in 1862. Reno became the county seat of Washoe County in 1871, and the city's economy was boosted by the extension of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad a year later. Reno became the principal settlement on the transcontinental railroad from Salt Lake City to Sacramento, and the late-20th century decline of the mining boom led to Reno and Las Vegas becoming the new centers of Nevada's political and business activity. In 1931, Reno became known as the "Divorce Capital of the World" for allowing for numerous grounds for divorce after a residency of just six weeks. The divorce business died out in the 1970s as other states relaxed their laws and no-fault divorces were legalized. After Nevada legalized open gambling on 19 March 1931, Reno became a hub of the casino industry. Reno also became a major technology center during the 2010s due to largef-scale investments from Seattle and Silicon Valley companies. In 2020, Reno had a population of 264,165, of whom 57.55% were white, 25.36% Hispanic, 6.94% Asian, 5.32% mixed, 2.87% Black, .73% Pacific Islander, .71% Indian, and .53% other.

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